Method and system for improving quality of service in distributed wireless networks

Abstract

A method for organizing an architecture of access points in a distributed wireless network includes measuring interference between the access points, assigning radiofrequency channels to the access points based on the measured interference and creating distributed antenna groups of multiple access points operating on a same radio frequency channel. A distributed wireless network includes a plurality of access points and a central controller connected to the access points via a common backbone, the central controller being configured to assign radio frequency channels to the access points according to the method.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for organizing an architecture of access points in a distributed wireless network, wherein the distributed wireless network comprises a plurality of access points connected to a backbone and a plurality of client devices connected to the plurality of access points, the method comprising:
 measuring interference corresponding to the plurality of access points; 
 measuring links between the plurality of client devices and the plurality of access points, wherein measuring the links includes measuring network traffic and link quality corresponding to each link; and 
 in response to measuring the interference and measuring the links:
 determining a number of radiofrequency (RF) channels to use in the distributed wireless network; 
 associating access points of the plurality of access points with an RF channel and client device such that each of the plurality of client devices is associated with an access point via an RF channel, wherein not all of the plurality of access points are associated with an RF channel and a client device; and 
 generating a distributed antenna group by grouping an unassociated first access point of the plurality of access points with an associated second access point, wherein the grouping comprises associating the first access point with an RF channel associated with the second access point and associating a client device connected to the second access point with the distributed antenna group. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein measuring the interference corresponding to the plurality of access points includes measuring interference from external sources. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein association between a distributed antenna group and a client device is used on a downlink and uplink channel quality between the distributed antenna group and the client device being better than the downlink and uplink channel quality between other distributed antenna groups and the client device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein association between a distributed antenna group and a client device is based on the distributed antenna group having the highest available wireless capacity relative to other distributed antenna groups. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein association between a distributed antenna group and a client device is based on a type of traffic corresponding to the client device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein association between a distributed antenna group and a client device is based on a priority assigned to the client device. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein access points not connected to any client device are utilized to perform interference measurements. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the client device associated with the distributed antenna group is connected to both the first and second access points. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, based on network traffic and interference conditions, that current network architecture having the generated distributed antenna group is less optimal than a previously configured architecture having a different distributed antenna group; and 
 reverting the current network architecture to the previously configured architecture. 
 
     
     
       10. A distributed wireless network, comprising:
 a plurality of access points; and 
 a central controller connected to the access points via a backbone, the central controller being configured to:
 measure interference corresponding to the plurality of access points; 
 measure links between the plurality of client devices and the plurality of access points, wherein measuring the links includes measuring network traffic and link quality corresponding to each link; and 
 in response to measuring the interference and measuring the links:
 determine a number of radiofrequency (RF) channels to use in the distributed wireless network; 
 associate access points of the plurality of access points with an RF channel and a client device such that each of the plurality of client devices is associated with an access point via an RF channel, wherein not all of the plurality of access points are associated with an RI channel and a client device; and 
 generate a distributed antenna group by grouping an unassociated first access point of the plurality of access points with an associated second access point, wherein the grouping comprises associating the first access point with an RF channel associated with the second access point and associating a client device connected to the second access point with the distributed antenna group. 
 
 
 
     
     
       11. The network of  claim 10 , wherein measuring the interference corresponding to the plurality of access points includes measuring interference from external sources. 
     
     
       12. The network of  claim 10 , wherein the central controller is further configured to determine a wireless channel capacity of the network, a capacity of the backbone, and a type of traffic. 
     
     
       13. The network of  claim 10 , wherein the access points include at least one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) access point, a Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) access point, and an IEEE802.11 access point.